Electrical shaver



Patented Feb. 22, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,342,467 "ELECTRICAL s'HAvER Ralph D. S. Hag'opian, Berkeley, Calif. estimation July zo, 193s, serial No. 220,233

(ci. en -4s) 5 Claims.

This invention relates generally toelectrical shaver devices such as are adapted for latherless shaving. e

Electrical shaving devices such'as now available upon the market vary widely as to details of construction, but they universally make use of an electric motor housed within a handle, and`which drives a cutter relative to a blade member. Ihe blade member is adapted to contact the skin land is provided with a plurality ofropenings, such as v slots or apertures, through which hair is received to be severed by the cutter. The type of drive aiTorded between the cutter and the motor varies in accordance withrthe motion imparted to the cutter. y e lated, reciprocated, or directly and continuously rotated. l

In all of the fore-going conventional designs, it is necessary for the operator to impart a rubbing motion of the blade member over the skin, and a given surface of the skin must be traversed repeatedly in order to obtain a close and satisfactory shave. A single pass of the cutter member over the skin will only partially cut the hair, because it is impossible for all of the hair, in one pass of the cutter member, to enter the spaced openings. This necessity of repeatedly traversing the blade over the same surface of the skin, has been one of the most serious handicaps of the electrical razor.

it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical shaving device which will overcome the disadvantage pointed out above, and which will make possible rapid and efcient dry shaving.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevational view, illustrating an electrical shaver incorporating the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail of the device shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional detail taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional detail taken along the line l--ll of Fig. 3. y

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail, showing another embodiment of the invention in which the cutter both reciprocates and oscillates.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 2, showing another embodiment in which the cutter reciprocates with respect to the blade member.

For example the cutter is rocked, oscile Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing a further embodiment in which cornpound cyclic movement is imparted to the blade member.

Referring to that form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, it consists of a handle Il), made of some suitable material like a molded plastic, and serving to house an electric motor II. Secured to one end of this handle there is a cutting mechanism including the blade member I2 and the cutter I3, In this instance the blade member I2 is curved or semi-cylindrical in form, and is provided with a plurality of spaced openings i4 to receive hair. The cutter I3 is slidably held by a retaining arm I6, which in turn is secured to rocker shaft II. A compression spring I 8 is shown lfor resiliently urging the outer edge of cutter I3, against the inner periphery of blade member I2.

The blade member I2 is secured to the outer end of a mounting head I9. This mounting can be formed of some suitable metal, and it consists in this instance of the parallel side Walls 2l, secured to the inner end wall 22. Side walls 2l carry suitable trunnions or bearings 23, for the rocker shaft l 'I. It will be noted that the casing Iii is provided with a recess 24 of ample proportions, to accommodate the mounting I9. Members 2l) are pivotally carried by the walls ZI, and serve to releasably retain the blade member i2 in place. l

The electric motor I I is equipped with the rotating shaft 25. This shaft is shown extending through a bearing sleeve 26, and its projecting end has certain drive connections to both the cutter and the mounting I3, as will be presently explained. Surrounding the sleeve 2li and iixed within the handle, there is a block 2'I.

The attachment between the mounting IQ and block 27 is such as to enable a substantial amplitude of movement of the head I9 relative to the handle. A suitable form of connection which will serve this purpose is illustrated in Fig. 4. ln this instance a plate 2B is Vattachedto the lower end wall 22 of the mounting I9, as by means of screws 2S. Both' block 2 and plate 28have openings 3| and 32, which loosely accommodate the retention pins 33. The upper ends of the pins 33 have enlarged heads 34, and their lower ends are surrounded by the compression springs Sii. The lower end of each spring seats upon a thrust washer 31, while the upper end of each spring engages the adjacent portion of the block 2l, whereby each spring exerts a force tending to retain plate 28 in contact with the block 2l, without however interfering with sliding movement of the plate 28 over the surface of block 21.

The drive connections to the end of shaft 25 are such as to cause movement of the cutter I3 relative to the blade member, and simultaneously cause cyclic movement of the blade member and its mounting I9, relative to the handle. Cyclic movement in this instance is in a substantially circular orbit, although the movement may be varied or modified in different instances. Thus to form the drive connection to the cutter I3, the rocker shaft I1 carries a crank arm 4I, the

end of which carries a pivoted trunnion 43. ThisV trunnion is engaged by a roller 44, which in turn is carried eccentrically by the adjacent end. of shaft 25. v

To form the other second drive connection, 'the shaft 25 carries an eccentric 46, which' engages within the annular opening 41 afforded in 'the plate 28. Thus as the, shaft 25 rotates, plate 28, together with the head mounting I9 and the blade member I2, is moved in a circular orbit the diameter of which equals the total throw of the eccentric 46. Such a circular orbit is permitted by virtue of the type of connection between lthe plate 28 and block 21, and at the same time this connection prevents relative rotation between plate 28 and block 21.

As pointed out above when the device is in operation the cutter I3 moves across the underside of the blade member I2, and at the same time the blade member is moved in a substantially circular orbit at a relatively rapid rate. The amplitude of this circular orbit, that is the amplitude of the cyclic movement imparted by th'e additional drive connection to the motor shaft, may vary in different instances, although it is preferably substantially greater than the width of the openings I4. In the proportions illustrated the amplitude of the cyclic movement is as great as the total span of two adjacent openings, in order to afford utmost opportunity for hair to enter the openings. Assumed a speed of operation of the motor such as -is commonly 45 used with electrical razors, as the blade member I2 is contacted with the skin and moved along a given path', the cyclic movement imparted to the blade member causes rapid relative movement of the blade member with. respect to the skin, and this movement occurs at such a rate that all of the hair in the path of movement is given ample opportunity to enter the openings I4. As a result my device can make a substantially complete cutting of all hairs along a certain path of movement of the cutter member. Thus repeated traversing over the same surface is not essential, as with prior electrical Shavers, with the result that a shaving operation is greatly simplified and facilitated. In addition the cyclic movement imparted to the blade member as it engages the skin tends to afford a closer shave, presumably because of the action of the blade member in cyclically moving at a rapid rate against the surface of the skin.

In the foregoing it should be understood that some vibration is necessarily imparted to the handle of the device, because of the rapid cyclic movement imparted to the operating head. Such vibration of the handle is not objectionable of itself, and it is not of serious intensity because of the relatively larger weight of the handle and the motor, compared to the weight of the operating head. In this connection it can be noted also tends to decrease the intensity of vibration imparted to the handle.

Fig. 5 illustrates another form of the invention in which the cutter is of cylindrical form and both oscillates and reciprocates. The blade member 5I in this instance is provided with tapered cutting teeth 52, and encloses the cylindrical cutter 53. The cutter also has spaced cutting blades 54, to cooperate with the blades 52. 'Ihe end`of the motor yshaft 55 is shown provided with an eccentric 56, which engages the annular bearing 56, alforded in the base 51 of cutter 5I. The cutter base 51 is also retained to the handle of the device by some form of attaching means such as illustrated in Fig. 4, whereby the cutter may move a limited amount relative to the handle. An eccentric roller 58 forms an operative connection between eccentric 56 and the cutter 53, whereby the cutter is oscillated and simultaneously reciprocated with respect to the blade member 5I.

The operation of that form illustrated in Fig. 5 is substantially the same as the form previously described. The blade member is moved cyclically relative to the handle at a rapid rate simultaneously with movement of the cutter relative to the blade member.

Fig. 6 illustrates another form of my invention in which the cutter reciprocates relative to the outer blade member. Thus in this instance the blade member 6I is substantially U-shaped and it is provided with a plurality of laterally extending slots to form the relatively thin flat blade portions 62. The cutter 63 fits within the blade member SI, and it is likewise slotted to afford a series 0f spaced cutter blades 64, to cooperate with the plate portion 62. The base 66 of the cutter member 6I is attached to the handle 61 of the device, by some form of attachment enabling relative movement between these parts, as has been previously described with reference to Fig. 4. The motor shaft 68 carries an eccentric 69 which is journalled within the base portion 66. Also eccentric 69 carries a pin 1I, which is eccentric With respect to the center of shaft 68, and which engages within a laterally extending slot'l 12, formed in the base of the cutter 63. 'I'hus in Fig. 6, as the shaft of the motor is driven, the entire operating head is moved in a substantially circular orbit, while at the same time the inner cutter is reciprocated relative t0 the outer blade member. Otherwise the operation of this form of the invention is substantially the same as with the device of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

Another embodiment is shown in Fig. 7 in which a compound cyclic movement is imparted to the blade member. In this case the blade member I2 and cutter I 3, and associated parts, are shown substantially the same as in Fig. 2. However, in place of the simple eccentric 46 of Fig. 2, I employ an eccentric 46a which has its end surface 4Gb at an angle to the axis of rotation to afford a wash plate effect. Plate 28 is also provided with an annular shoulder 14 which is at an angle to the lower face of block 28 and which cooperates with cam surface 46h. When the device of Fig. 'I is in operation, engagement of surfaces 46b and 14 causes cyclic movement of the plate 28 toward and away from the block 21, and consequently the blade member I2 is vibrated against the skin, in addition to cyclic movement along the surface of the skin. Vibrating movement against the skin has been found desirable that lightness of weight of the operating head, in that it aifordsfa closer shave and in addition it facilitates cyclic movement of the surface of the skin.

I claim:

1. In an electrical shaver, an outer blade member adapted to contact the skin and having openings to receive hair, a cutter cooperating with one side of the blade member and serving to cut hair received in said openings, a handle to which both the blade member and the cutter are secured, an electrical motor carried within the handle, said motor being provided with a rotatable shaft, means forming a drive connection between the shaft of the motor and the cutter to move the cutter relative to the blade member, and means forming a positive drive connection between the shaft and the blade member serving to gyrate the blade member relative to the handle simultaneously with relative movement between the cutter and the blade member.

2. In an electrical shaver, an outer blade member adapted to contact the skin and having openings to receive hair, a cutter-cooperating with the blade member and serving to cut hair received in said openings, a handle to which both the blade member and the cutter are secured, an electrical motor carried within the handle -and provided with a rotatable shaft, means forming a drive connection between one end of the shaft and the cutter whereby the cutter is moved by the motor relative to the blade member, and means forming a positive eccentric drive connection between the motor shaft and the blade member to gyrate the blade member relative to the handle and the skin.

3. In an electrical razor, an outer blade member adapted to contact the skin and having openthe blade along ings to receive hair, a cutter cooperating with the blade member and serving to cut hair received in Ysaid openings, a handle, electrical motor means carried by the handle, means forming a drive connection between said motor and the cutter to drive the cutter relative to the blade member, and means forming a drive connection between the motor and the blade member to cause gyratory movement of the blade member relative to the handle, the amplitude of said movement being at least as great as the width of said openings.

4. In an electrical shaver, an outer blade memf ber adapted to contact the skin and havin-g openings to receive hair, a cutter cooperating With the blade member and serving to cut hair received in said openings, means for causing movement of the cutter relative to the blade member, and means for imparting compound recurrent movement to the blade member, whereby the blade member is vibrated against the skin and gyrated at a rapid rate over the surface of the skin.

5. In a shaving device, the combination of a handle, a thin, apertured, convex, skin-contacting shear plate movably mounted on said handle, a movable inner cutter having at least one shearing edge curved complementarily to and bearing against the concave under surface of said plate, and means for moving said plate and said cutter relatively to each other and to said handle to sever hairs projected through the Iapertures in said shear plate said means comprising a shaft and means eccentric to the shaft for gyrating the shear plate.

- RALPH D. S. HAGOPIAN. 

